Jennifer Lawrence Slams Harvey Weinstein: ‘This Is What Predators Do’

The disgraced film mogul filed a motion on Tuesday (February 20) to dismiss a sexual misconduct lawsuit brought against him by six women. According to NBC, his lawyers argued the women's case should be rejected because the alleged assaults took place too long ago and they failed to offer facts to support claims of racketeering. The motion also cited comments made by Meryl Streep, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Lawrence as evidence of actresses who continued to support Weinstein despite his alleged history of sexual assault and harassment.

“Such women would include, presumably, Jennifer Lawrence, who told Oprah Winfrey she had known Weinstein since she was 20 years old and said ‘he had only ever been nice to me,’" the documents said, per People.

But while speaking to TMZ on Thursday (February 22), Lawrence slammed Weinstein's use of her past statements as his defense. "Harvey Weinstein and his company are continuing to do what they have always done which is to take things out of context and use them for their own benefit. This is what predators do, and it must stop," she told the outlet. "For the record, while I was not victimized personally by Harvey Weinstein, I stand behind the women who have survived his terrible abuse and I applaud them in using all means necessary to bring him to justice whether through criminal or civil actions. Time's up."

Matt Winkelmeyer , Getty Images

Lawrence has made as much clear in the past. After dozens of women came forward in October to accuse Weinstein of sexual misconduct, Lawrence told Variety that while she wasn't aware of the decades-spanning allegations, "this kind of abuse is inexcusable and absolutely upsetting" and her "heart goes out to all of the women affected."

Lawrence also joins Streep in denouncing the use of their comments in the lawsuit. "Harvey Weinstein’s attorneys use of my (true) statement — that he was not sexually transgressive or physically abusive in our business relationship — as evidence that he was not abusive with many OTHER women is pathetic and exploitive," Streep told Deadline.

Paltrow, meanwhile, has yet to speak publicly about Weinstein referencing her in his case, but has condemned the producer in the past. In October, she claimed to the New York Times that he made unwanted advances towards her in a hotel room when she was 22.